Farmers' group urges PNP to release its leader

Farmers who are camped out in front of the Department of Agrarian Reform office since September this year urge the Philippine National Police for the immediate release of farmer leader Evangeline "Ka" Vangie" Mendoza.

 

Mendoza was one of the civilians detained by the PNP after Senator Antonio Trillanes and General Danilo Lim walked out of a court hearing and holed up themselves in a Makati hotel last week.

 

Mendoza, secretary general of Pambanasang Ugnayan ng mga Nagkakaisang Orgnasasyon sa Kanayunan (UNORKA) went with Bishop Emiritus Julio Labayen to the Makati court after learning through a newspaper report that Senator Trillanes will be brought there for hearing. Mendoza would find chance to talk briefly Bishop Labayen and with Senator Trillanes on UNORKA's advocacy in reforming the DAR bureaucracy since the senator heads the Senate Committee on Government Reorganization.

 

According to UNORKA leaders, they have designated Mendoza to talk with church leaders, particularly the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP), House Representatives and Senators, including Trillanes, on issues directly affecting the farmers and food production in the country.

 

UNORKA farmers are on a deadlock with DAR officials since September this year on agrarian issues affecting its members in particular and the landless farmers in general. Many conflicting policies and inconsistent CARP implementation has angered many pro-CARP extension advocates, including UNORKA, and called for reforms in the DAR bureaucracy.

 

Mendoza is very much active in defending the rights and welfare of the farmers. She helped in exposing the onerous and unconstitutional terms in the RP-China agreements in agriculture and is also actively advocating against the plantation of Jathropa trees for the biofuel/agrifuel production. Mendoza is also active in the Fair Trade Alliance advocacy against the environment-hazardous Japan-Philippine Economic Partnership Agreement or JPEPA.

 

The PNP and Director General Avelino Razon should allow Ka Vangie Mendoza to continue her advocacy legally and represent the small and landless farmers cause by releasing her unconditionally, UNORKA reiterated.